


Just Another Day In Zootopia

by MagicAlpha



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: A little bit of everything, First Time With One Shots, One Shot Collection, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Random & Short, Short, Slice of Life, Sweet, wildehopps
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-11
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-07-11 01:39:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 10,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15961964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagicAlpha/pseuds/MagicAlpha
Summary: Just Another Day in Zootopia is a collection of short one-shots centered in the grand city of Zootopia. Stories will have our fox and bunny duo at the spotlight, and will occasionally feature some other familiar faces. Stories are in no particular order, but will sometimes feature some connected ideas.





	1. Wish

When Judy was around nine years old, she found herself looking up at the nighttime sky. The sun had set over the Hopps family farm a few moments ago, and the young bunny was making her trek back home. As she casually strolled along the acreage of crops they were growing, she found her pace gradually slowing down. Her attention peaked upward, becoming fully focused upon the stars that lit up the sky like miniature diamonds. As she continued to gaze at the luminous sky, Judy's eyes lit up and her mouth opened in awe. The stars were always pretty to see, but that night seemed different. Whether it was all in her head or not, the sky just seemed to be a lot brighter than it normally was.

Her friends (as well as a few others) told her that when the night was bright, to find a star and make some sort of wish upon it. She never really attempted it due to a slight amount of disbelief in that kind of stuff, but she decided to try it since the sky was brighter than usual.

She studied the firmament above her, finally placing her attention upon a scintillating star that was right in the middle of the sky. As she continued to gaze up at it, she placed the thought of the wish inside of her head. Deep in her heart, Judy knew that she wanted to eventually grow up and make the world a better place. Despite how distant the goal seemed, and whatever the bullying Gideon Gray had to say, she knew on the inside that anything was possible. Focusing harder and harder on that ambition, she closed her eyes and brought herself to silently mouthing it out loud.

" _I wish to make the world a better place..._ "

Opening her eyes once again, she progressed onward to make her way back home before it got any later. As she got closer and closer to home, it seemed as if that specific star was starting to glow just a little bit brighter. Even it was just her overactive imagination, it felt like that star was saying that it heard her wish and that it would eventually be granted.

* * *

After everything that happened, that little memory made Judy smile. At the present time, Judy found herself strolling through the nighttime sights of Savannah Central. The downtown area was completely brightened with an array of colorful lights and signs, giving the city a sense of life. Cars were filling the busy streets, and various mammals continued walking in and out of different places in the district. All of the scenery around her was just so wonderful, and she was definitely grateful to be taking in such sights.

Looking up from the hustle and bustle of downtown, she got a glimpse of the sky once again. Even after all of this time, the natural beauty of it was still so fascinating to her. A gentle paw intertwined with hers, and Judy looked back down to meet Nick's gaze. As a smile brushed across her face, a trail of thoughts started to take form inside of her.

Of course it was her nights of hard work and dedication that got her to where she was today, but perhaps there was a small factor of it that had to deal with wishing on that star. After all, she would have never expected the presence of such a great partner to come so naturally. And if she was right in some of her assumptions, the star gave her a lot more than she originally bargained for that very day.


	2. Home

"Home" always seemed to be an ambiguous term, a word that was open to more than one meaning or interpretation. For the longest time, Judy's mind went back to the quaint life that she lived back in Bunnyburrow whenever the word was brought up.

Upon further remembrance, she would often visualize the extremely spacious interior that made up her childhood home. Placed upon most of the walls and hallways were the adored pictures of family and friends that she held very close to her. The windows more than often provided picturesque views for her family, the exquisite farmland that surrounded their property seemed to stretch on forever. Whenever she would come home from school or playing with her friends, she was always greeted with the faint sounds of music coming from the radio that was in the kitchen. The aroma of freshly baked goods occasionally filled her atmosphere, and sometimes one or two of her younger siblings could be spotted running across the halls.

The house that she grew up was practically perfection, and it was what Judy considered the definition of home to be for the longest time. But there was a moment in which she knew that home was more than just a house or a place that you grew up in.

The slight realization came to her when she was spending a Sunday evening over at Nick's apartment. Both of them were relaxed on the couch, Nick's long arms wrapped around Judy as a provision of comfort. As Judy put on a bright smile at Nick's gentle caress, she cocked her head a little to the left to look out at the view that Nick's window provided. From the look of the sky, Judy could tell that it was getting close to sunset. The sun casted its golden rays down upon the metropolis. The yellow ball of light and fire changed into hues of orange, and then to a hue that resembled tangerine as it started to set into the distance.

Despite her hometown in Bunnyburrow being many miles away, she came to the conclusion in her soul that she was right where she belonged. Home, as she came to realize, was where you were surrounded by those who had your back even in the darkest of times. It was where adventurous memories and inseparable companions were made.

As the two of them gazed into the beautiful colors of sunset, Nick lowered his head and gave Judy a delicate kiss at the top of her head. The doe nestled herself more comfortably in Nick's lap.

_This is home,_ she thought as she slipped into a state of pure and unadulterated relaxation.


	3. Visit

It was both understandable and acceptable that there was danger when one undertakes the role of a police officer, and Nick fully acknowledged that when he joined the ZPD. He understood that anything could happen without any warning, and without any expectations something could happen. However, Nick just didn't expect Judy to endure such an injury when it happened.

After walking to the very end of the blank and colorless halls of the hospital, the badger in the doctor's coat lead Nick to a door to his left. After an indication from the doctor to go inside, the fox stepped into the room that Judy was recovering in. The door was shut quietly behind him as he took his load off on a chair sitting right next to an open window. Slightly gazing outside, Nick caught a glimpse of the skyscrapers within the distance.

Nick drooped his head down, sighing heavily as he stared at the bouquet of flowers he bought for Judy. He placed them right next to all of the other bouquets, the bright and cheerful colors of the blossoms brightening up a portion of the dull hospital room.

Walking back to the window, Nick grabbed the chair and placed it next to Judy's side. His partner's breath was faint but providing hope. He took a glance at a monitor that was placed just above Judy's bed. The machine continued to reverberate its cruel-sounding beeping tone.

Nick placed a gentle and loving paw upon hers, continuing to watch her chest rise and fall. He had tons of worries and concerns that were building up inside of him, but Judy's delicate breaths were providing him with all of the reassurance that he needed.

"You're going to be just fine, Carrots," he breathed. "You're the strongest mammal I know, I just know that you're going to be okay."

He just knew on the inside that Judy could hear him, and that she was indeed receiving all of his compassionate words. As he exited the blank hospital room, he thought of Judy's complete recovery with a large amount of anticipation. Anticipation to see those beautiful amethyst eyes flutter open once again, and see her deliver that cheerful and unbreakable smile.


	4. Autumn

The golden leaves pirouetted their way down in the breeze, twirling in circles continuously as they landed softly in the grass. The lush country views were painted in a sepia tone, with a multitude of welcoming autumn colors shining through,

The exquisite scenery encompassed Nick as he looked onto the horizon from the balcony. As he continued to take in all of his surroundings from his cozy outdoor chair, the fox couldn’t help but admit how stunning Judy’s hometown in Bunnyburrow was.

Nick’s attention went over to a giant tree, one whose appearance implied that it had been standing for many, many years. A large pile of brown and gold leaves blanketed the ground that surrounded it, quickly becoming less organized as a trio of Judy’s youngest siblings decided to dive into it for fun. A choir of young and happy giggles sounded in the distance, and Nick couldn’t help but laugh along too at their childish antics. 

A single leaf pivoted near Nick’s head, causing him to flinch slightly as it landed directly on his muzzle. A smaller gray paw enveloped in his, and the fox looked down to see his companion giggling at how funny he looked with that leaf on his face.

Nothing but smiles and heartfelt laughter filled the atmosphere. For the longest time, Nick had been quite unsure about making the trip over to meet Judy’s family. Nick originally worried about what they would think of him almost the entire train ride to the Burrows. However, his head that tended to overthink things ended up being proven wrong once again. The worrying proved to be unnecessary, and looking over at Bonnie and Stu’s cheerful faces provided enough evidence that he was welcomed.

“So glad to finally have you here, Nicholas,” Bonnie said.

Nick turned around with a big smile brushed across his face. “And it’s wonderful to be here, Mrs. Hopps. Wonderful to be here.”

Nick gazed at Judy and then looked back out at the beauty of the changed season. The breeze picked up its course slightly, and the young Hopps children continued to playfully run along. The fox could sit in this very spot forever.

It was autumn when he first visited the Hopps Family Farm. 

It was autumn when Judy's family made him feel as welcome as ever.


	5. Snow

“Just a few more steps,” Nick said, one paw shielding Judy's view and the other leading her. He wanted the first glance to be a surprise, and so he wouldn’t allow the bunny to do any peeking until they got to the very heart of the action.

For the longest time, the fox had been anticipating Tundratown’s large annual Holiday Festival that started around this time of year. While the event was its most extravagant closer to Christmas, he was too excited to wait any longer and insisted that the two of them head out whenever possible. Even though the town was so much prettier when they had all of the trees out and fully decorated, Nick was still very certain that Judy was going to be awestruck when she saw what the Holiday Festival had to offer. For awhile he could only envisage what her reaction would be, but now was the time for him to enjoy this moment with her.

The sound of their paws crunching the fallen snow resonated as Nick lead his companion around a corner. Stopping ahead, the fox lifted the russet paw off of Judy’s face.

“Alrighty, we’re here!” Nick said jovially, the bunny’s eyes still closed but opening to the striking scenery. Just as the fox had suspected, Judy’s eyes lit up and her mouth hung wide open. At a loss for words, Judy simply observed the wondrous extravaganza that laid out before her. Bunnyburrow always held its fair share of special events, but it simply didn’t compare to how large in size the Holiday Festival really was.

Judy regained her ability to produce words again. “T-this is amazing!”

Nick simply observed the mirthful smile written across Judy’s face. _If she’s this excited now_ , he thought, _just wait until she sees it during Christmastime_. Now pumped up with enthusiasm, Judy quickly dragged Nick to see everything this event had in store for her.

Tundratown was a beautiful, snow-covered sight to begin with, but some of the different decorations added to the spectacle made the district even more exquisite. Reaching what was referred to as the heart of the town, Nick and Judy joined the all of the other mammals crowding the area. A mixture of white and blue lights shined brightly against the tiny snowflakes that started to fall down. Many different booths were available on all sides, fun carnival-like games awaiting anyone who wished to play. The sounds of cheerful music resonated around them, providing a sense of joy and adding to the holiday-themed ambience.

As Judy helped herself to exploring the rest of the frosted sights of the Holiday Festival, Nick looked around and caught sight of something in the left corner. A group of small kits were playing in the thick bundles of snow, one of them in the group declaring a friendly snowball fight. Being the kit at heart that he was, the sight of the others playing around put Nick in a very jocular mood.

Judy started to come a little bit closer in range, gazing up at the nighttime sky. With a sly grin on his face, Nick readied his arm and unexpectedly pummeled a snowball towards her. The cold sensation hit her fur abruptly.

“Fox one, bunny zero,” he childishly proclaimed.

As she let out a serious-sounding grunt, Nick couldn’t help but laugh at Judy with the snow running down her cheeks. _Such a kit_ , she thought.

“Come on, Carrots,” Nick said, giggling slightly in between his words. “I was just-“

He was interrupted when a snowball hit him square in the muzzle, catching him off guard. He let out a chuckle as he wiped the snow off of him. “Okay, I’ll admit that I deserved that.”

Another snowball was thrown towards the fox with perfect precision, a third joining soon after.

Judy started pawing for piles of snow, swiftly molding them into snowballs that were ready to be thrown at her designated target. Right when she about throw another one, Nick put his paws up in the air as he embraced for the impact.

“Okay, okay,” he said. “I surrender, Fluff!”

The bunny was not taking that surrendering stuff for an answer, however. As she fumbled with the snowball in her paw, she looked up at Nick. “Not gonna happen. Did I ever tell you I was a champion of snowball fights? “

“Ah, so it’s a snowball fight you want now? Well, in that case…”

Nick tried his darnedest to stealthily paw for a bit of snow. But before he could even attempt to do anything with it, he was once again hit straight on by another frosty blitz from Judy. Both fox and rabbit started to run around the snow-covered grounds, getting a little bit further from where most of the festivities were. As they tried to duck and dodge each other’s oncoming snowballs (with Nick miserably failing at doing so), both of them found themselves stuck in a spree of joyous and almost childlike laughter. Their smiles grew wider as the snowflakes delicately fell throughout the town.


	6. Rain

The pouring rain continued to hit against the windows of Nick’s apartment, showing no signs of letting up any time soon. Within a few short moments, the weather had went from almost picture-perfect to completely muggy. The gray clouds sprawled across the area, billowing in and taking away the color and sunshine that filled the sky a little bit ago.

The downpour let off some, but the weather outside was still in no condition for what Nick originally had planned. Watching a few of the raindrops slowly slide down the glass of the window, the fox let out a despondent sigh.

Despite the already organized itinerary of the day being practically ruined, his companion still seemed to be in good spirits. Judy simply sat on Nick’s living room couch, a smile written upon her muzzle and her paws barely touching the tiles of the floor. Nick’s television was playing the news, but the rabbit paid no attention towards the screen. Instead, she happily watched the rain as it fell down, like it didn’t really affect anything. Nick wasn’t exactly sure why she still was optimistic despite the rain-out, considering that the two of them planned on some outdoor activities together whenever they had the chance.

The fox sighed another time. “That rain came outta nowhere, Carrots. Forecast wasn’t even calling for a storm like this. Sorry.”

Judy turned around. “It’s okay, Nick. It’s not like you can control the rain.”

Nick grinned as he attempted to do another one of his humorous shenanigans. Judy couldn’t help but snicker as her fox companion broke out into a ridiculously terrible dance.

“What was that, Slick?” she said, still giggling.

“Seriously?” Nick replied. “You never heard of a rain dance, Fluff? Maybe if I do it long enough, the rain’ll let up some.”

“Pretty sure that rain dances make rain, Nick," she replied informatively.

Nick looked back at her, completely proven wrong. “Oh... If that’s the case, I’ll just have to do it backwards.”

The fox continued performing his laughable dance routine, this time doing it in reverse. Judy simply looked back at how silly he looked, chortling and shaking her head. _Once a kit, always a kit,_ she thought.

A faint clap of thunder resonated, sounding as if it was further out in the distance. “Hear that?” Judy replied slyly. “The rain don’t agree with your dancing.”

“Well, that goes to show you that the rain don’t have good tastes,” Nick remarked, walking over to the living room. “I’ll have you know that I am an expert dancer fox.”

Judy snickered as she gestured for Nick to take his load off beside her. “Whatever you say, Slick. Come on and take a seat.”

The fox did as Judy said, plopping down on the cushion beside his companion. The news playing on the television switched over to the hourly forecast, only to restate what was completely obvious. Judy’s iPaw vibrated, a notification indicating that lightning was near their location (less than 0.2 miles, to be exact). Nick saw the alert on her phone as well, nodding as he saw how much closer the abrupt weather had gotten.

“Did I mention how much I hate the rain, Carrots?” he asked sarcastically.

“Yeah, you made that pretty clear, Slick,” Judy replied.

The streak coming from a bolt of white lightning broke through the view of the window, followed the sound of a loud and sudden boom that reverberated around them. Judy jumped and let out a frightened gasp at the unanticipated close clap of thunder.

The bunny’s ears drooped down, and with that Nick tried to provide some comfort to his partner. Pulling her closer to him, the fox wrapped his arms and tail around her. His thick and fluffy russet fur providing her with all the comfort she needed.

Judy, full of contentment, leaned back and looked up at Nick. Her gaze went back out to the pitter-pattering rain drops hitting the windows a few seconds later. Sure, Nick was upset at how the sudden change of weather came through and disrupted his plans. But Judy liked to see things in a different perspective. Whether it was rain or shine, it didn’t matter how she spent the afternoon as long as her fox was beside her.


	7. Thanksgiving

The majority of the family gathered around the large, festively-decorated table. As everyone got themselves situated in their seats, Judy took her load off in a chair that was right in the middle of the table, an occupied seat waiting beside her. A series of aromas filled the room, the source of them being the plethora of various dishes that were scattered abroad. Judy inhaled the fresh and pleasing scents as her mother walked by, carefully carrying another tray that contained one of the other dishes they would be enjoying.

The rabbit looked around at her family, encircled humbly around the spacious dining room table. Her parents happily taking their seats after finishing up their last-minute preparations, the youngest of her multitudinous siblings squirming and shifting in their chairs.

“Man, I almost forgot about how delicious this cooking was,” Judy thought out loud. “Just the taste of this alone was worth the travel.”

“Well, don’t you worry,” Bonnie replied, her voice full of sincerity. “There’s plenty more where this came from.”

“Yeah, pretty sure Nick is going to love this too.” As the words slipped out of her mouth, she got curious as to where her fox happened to run off to. She hadn’t seen him since some of her siblings took control of him, dragging him away to another room for a great amount of time. “Say, where did he-“

Her inquiry was cut short, the sounds of commotion from behind her provided the obvious answer she needed. She could hear her fox bumping into something, nearly knocking over a well-placed cornucopia sitting on a nearby table. The joyous squeals of delight coming from her youngest siblings (who undoubtedly were giving Nick a bit of a hard time).

“Okay, off you go,” he compelled, trying to be as nice as possible with his voice.

The little bunny, originally clinging onto Nick’s fluffy russet tail, grabbed hold of Nick’s paw and dragged him to his designated seat (which luckily was positioned right next to Judy). Bonnie chuckled as she continued to get the rest of everyone’s food in order, Judy sat there shaking her head at Nick.

“Geez,” the fox whispered to his companion, clutching onto his tail as if he was providing it some sense of security. “Those guys can be hard on tails.”

Judy grinned. “Pretty sure your tail will live, Slick,” she replied.

Nick glanced at the empty white plate in front of him, then over to a folded piece of paper tucked securely under his napkin. He hadn’t noticed it until now, and decided to see what it contained. Unfolding the paper, he revealed a simplistic drawing done in crayon. It was a depiction of himself in one of his signature outfits, the words “Special Guest” scribbled not-so-neatly below it. 

The fox looked up at Bonnie (who just took her seat back down and started to take a bite of food), then turned his attention to where some of Judy’s siblings were seated. The young bunny, who was seated a few chairs away from view, smiled upon Nick opening up the paper card.

“W-what’s this?” Nick managed to say.

“Oh, just something the little ones made,” Bonnie said. “They told me that they wanted their ‘Uncle Nick’ to have a special seat at the table. Heck, you should’ve heard how much they were talking about you.”

Some of the young rabbits seated around nodded their heads in agreement, and Nick felt an unexplainable sensation rushing within him. Nick could completely sense the welcoming sincerity that filled every bunny in the burrow. “Thank you,” he managed to say. “Just thank you.”

The fox grinned widely, and with that the “Special Guest” started to joyfully help himself to the wonderful array of farm-grown food. Nick became full of glee upon taking his first few bites of Bonnie's undeniably delectable cooking, and Judy simply continued to brightly smile beside him.


	8. Protection

“What do you got there, Carrots?” the fox inquired.

Nick turned his head around to Judy’s side, observing her curiously as she fumbled with some small object that she had nestled delicately in her right paw. The rabbit smiling gently as she continued to play with it, her companion sitting a few inches away with his paws crossed as he scrolled through the newsfeed on his iPaw.

It was one of those occasional nights in which Judy found herself going through some of the keepsakes and miscellaneous items she had stowed away in the storage spaces of her apartment. It occasionally brought her joy when she stumbled upon something small of hers, reminiscing and sharing her memories with Nick. On top of an envelope of photos and some other things that were shoved in the small closet, she had found the item she had with her at the moment. While it wasn’t anything major when compared to other things, holding this particular object seemed to bring a smile to her face. 

“Oh, this thing?” she replied, pertaining to the object she was holding. “ _This_ is something I’ve had for quite some time. Back in Bunnyburrow, I had this small collection of different stones that I gathered, and this one is called black tourmaline if I remember correctly.”

Judy handed the stone in question to her companion, and Nick examined what was now resting in his paw. The semi-precious stone had a polished feel to it as he touched it. Bumping up slightly on side, the imperfect shape of it reminded him of the traditional lump of coal that was more commonly associated with the holidays.

“When I got that one,” the bunny continued, “there was some kind of card that came with it on what it stood.”

“So what’s it say that’s for?” her fox asked.

“This card says that black tourmaline is a crystal that represents protection, and that it can keep its holder from any danger that comes its way. I never really put any belief in what those little pamphlets said, but when I first came here I always kept it on my desk. And, honestly, I thought for a short time that there might actually be something to it.”

Nick’s curiosity was piqued as she unwrapped the paper that was in the stone’s box, unveiling two other pieces of tourmaline that looked just like it. The fox's attention became fully captured when his bunny companion handed him the other two.

“Here,” Judy said, “you can have your own.”

Nick looked at the crystals and simply sat it on the table, the pieces of black tourmaline making a click sound as they hit the glass. Judy looked at Nick curiously. 

“I don’t need a rock to let me know I’m protected,” he stated. “‘Cause I’ve got this.”

He grabbed a hold of Judy’s paw and held it close to him, the rabbit looking at him quizzically. “My paw?” she inquired.

“Exactly,” the vulpine replied soothingly.

“What are you talking about?”

“This paw right here has saved me on so many levels. Even when it seemed dark, it never let go. This paw, Carrots, is my protection.”

Nick lifted her small gray paw and enveloped it with his. Bringing it up to his muzzle, he kissed it delicately.

“Love you,” he breathed. 

Judy, unable to conjure up some sort of reply, simply rested her head upon his shoulders. Her eyes dotted towards her paw that laid rested on Nick’s side. As she was being comforted by her fox, she mentally observed: _If I'm his protection, then everyday I’ll make sure that I provide him with the greatest protection he ever has._


	9. Priceless

The remainder of what at one point was the daylight disappeared. The flickers of the bright and exquisite colors of sunset had completely dissipated over the mammalian metropolis, letting the absolute darkness of the nighttime come in to play. The evenings that belonged to the weekend promised both fun and extravagant experiences for the many mammals that inhabited the bustling city. Joyous expressions could be seen on most of the faces one saw while walking around the humble place they called Zootopia, and the lights that illuminated the district gave the whole scene a much-adored sense of vibrancy.

A sudden chill in temperature filled the air and struck the city as the seasons readied themselves for yet another change. All the mammals walking around could be spotted dressed from head to paw in attire that complimented the colder time of year. Bundled up snuggly in one of his light coats, Nick made his way up towards the rooftop where he knew his partner would be. Just like he assumed, his leporine companion sat cross-legged on a purple outdoor mat, staying silent as she looked with admiration at the city around her. It was times like these that she could be found in this very pleasant spot, sometimes letting off some of the occasional steam that the weekdays brought about.

“Thought I might find ya out here, Carrots,” the fox breathed.

Judy turned around smiling at the sound of Nick’s voice, patting a paw down on the mat as an invitation to come over and sit next to her. Joining his rabbit, the vulpine plopped down on the mat and positioned himself close to his companion. Nick let out a sigh, noticing that he could see his breath in the cold weather. As the thick cloud of his breath quickly dissipated, he positioned his paws behind him so he could recline slightly and survey the nighttime scenery.

Completely relaxed, both Nick and Judy looked at what spectacular views surrounded them. The city, although beautiful enough from a ground view, was a sight to behold when examined from the quaint spot on the rooftop. The two of them looked around at the city they swore they would protect, and it seemed as if it was staring back at them merrily. 

The tall skyscrapers stretched on and on, the glow coming from the windows and billboards sparkling like Christmas lights. 

The sounds of music could be detected from a building not that far away, blending with the extra tunes that resonated from some of the traffic that made their way up and down the busy streets.

The humble citizens, strolling peacefully around the city, looked so much smaller from the height in which they were looking from.

Everything around them seemed so perfect. The two of them could spend a lifetime observing what encompassed them and it would never get old.

“Can’t beat the view,” Nick said after a moment of silence.

Leaning forward, Judy looked over at Nick and summed up the surroundings in the simplest way possible. “It’s priceless.”


	10. Gift

As the much-anticipated holidays crept closer on the calendars, the city of Zootopia always found different ways to get itself merrily into the season. Along with the many buildings that made up the grand metropolis, the Savannah Central Mall was glimmering with a festive atmosphere.

On just about every corner of the plaza, shoppers could be spotted gripping onto several bags from various stores. In the middle of the mall (right next to where the food courts were located), a large Christmas tree glimmered in all of its glory. Lights fluoresced from the humongous tree in a multitude of pretty colors, an array of upbeat holiday tunes resonating out of nearby speakers provided the scene with an even more festive ambience.

Right underneath the large pine was an establishment decked out like something straight out of the North Pole. Seated in a gigantic red chair was a polar bear humbly covered from head to paw in the typical Santa Claws uniform, kits jovially running up to get their pictures with him and tell him about what they wished for this holiday season.

Walking out from a nearby clothing shop, the two figures joined in with crowd of mammals. The rabbit, with both of her paws holding onto several different shopping bags, joined the fox beside her and continued to walk past several shops before making their way over to the nearest exit.

As they got closer to one of the halls, Nick looked over at Judy and the bags she was holding. Not only was the night a pleasant moment the two of them could share, but it also was an effective way for the doe to finish up on some of her final gift purchases for the approaching celebration. The mall doors automatically opened upon them getting closer, and Nick and Judy both felt the sensation of the colder weather hitting them on the way out. A delicate breeze was passing through the air, and Judy could feel it bristling gently against her gray fur.

Nick sighed and observed his breath becoming visible in the cold. From there, he took Judy by her free paw and lead her to a different attraction.

A few moments later, the two of them found themselves heading to one of the Sky-Trams. While the Rainforest District had the recognizable gondola lifts, the similar mechanism found within Savannah Central provided an even more enjoyable experience. Unlike the other gondola lifts, the Sky-Trams were a little more enclosed, with the additions of a glass viewing window as well as a small yet comfortable seat.

As their Sky-Tram came closer to them, Nick gestured for Judy to step inside first. “After you, Fluff,” he said.

“Such a gentlemammal,” Judy joked in reply.

“Naturally,” the vulpine replied slyly.

Once they got situated inside, Judy set her shopping bags down and sat on Nick’s lap comfortably as they faced each other.

“Got anything in those bag over there for me, Carrots?” the vulpine questioned. After his curious inquiry, Nick peeked over mischievously inside of one of the bags for any potential surprises. Before he could even get a glance, however, the fox received a sudden slap from Judy’s paw.

“Now now,” she replied. “Who said anything in here was for you?”

“Well, I just thought off-chance that there’d be something special for a certain fox.”

“You’re just gonna have to wait until the holiday, Slick.”

At that, Nick jokingly shook his head and sighed. “Come on! You can’t leave me hangin’, Carrots. Can’t you just drop a hint or something?”

“If you insist, I can let you in on one little detail.”

Nick bent his head down and turned in ear towards her. “And what would that be, Fluff? I’m all ears.”

“It’s a gift,” she said bluntly.

Nick uncontrollably produced a sigh at the little shenanigan that his rabbit companion just pulled on him. It felt as if he had just been hustled in a small but effective way. "Sly bunny," he murmured.

Judy simply laughed under her breath. Gazing out at the view, the rabbit got a bird’s-eye view of the city transformed by the festive decorations. Pressing a paw gently against the glass enclosure, Nick turned around to look out and stared back at Judy.

“Anyhow,” the fox continued, “ _I_ might have to wait, but I’ve got something that I wanted to give you early. I was gonna wait until the actual day, but it was killing me not to give it to you now.”

“You don’t gotta give me anything now, Nick,” Judy remarked.

“No, I insist,” Nick replied as he unveiled a small red box with a matching red bow on the top of it.

Judy’s ears became perked up as the vulpine placed it gently in her grasp. Before opening and seeing what was inside, the rabbit caught a glimpse at what was written on the tag: _To Carrots, With Love_.

Judy shook her head, only Nick would address a present’s name tag like that. Opening it slowly, she unveiled what the festive box contained. Unwrapping the folded up white wrapping paper, she glimpsed at what was inside.

 _Sweet cheese and crackers_ , she thought.

Taking it out of the box and caressing it in her paws, Judy revealed the gift to be some sort of necklace. The silver heart design that was in the middle of the necklace glistened within the Sky-Tram, complete with a small orange emblem carved within the center of it that looked like a carrot. The rabbit quickly decided to place it over her neck and looked at how it shimmered when worn.

“Nick,” she murmured, almost feeling as if she was at a loss of words. “I-It’s beautiful.”

“That’s not all,” the fox said, feeling happy upon seeing his bunny’s reaction to the gift. “Take it off and click it open.”

Judy did as her fox said to do, taking the necklace off and opening up what the locket depicted. Inside the circular opening of the locket was a beloved photo of her and Nick together in Tundratown. On the other side of the opened locket read a line of etched text in a cursive font: _Love you, always and forever_.

The doe sensed a tear of joy forming inside of her eyes, but dismissed it trying to not turn into the “so emotional” bunny that Nick referenced before on other occasions.

“I’m taking that look as a happy one, am I right?” Nick remarked, the sense of pleasure rushing over him from giving that gift to Judy.

Placing the locket once again around her neck, Judy pulled herself closer to Nick and embraced him in a gentle and heartfelt hug. As the tram car came passed a spot where a giant Christmas tree could be spotted within the city, the gift resting around Judy’s neck sparkling within the night.


	11. Decorations

The entire living room was currently undergoing a completely festive transformation, as if Christmas magic somehow crawled inside and spread itself around the originally undecorated spaces. Across the floor laid storage totes, containing decorations and supplies from yesteryear’s holiday celebrations. A slight mess of such items was scattered upon the ground, making the living room floor look like a Christmas-themed construction site.

Smiles abundant, Nick and Judy stood on opposite sides of the room as they both filled every possible inch with joyous decorations. The fox worked over on the left side of the space, placing three festively-woven stockings where they could be seen. Below the stockings flickered the fireplace, a soft but warming flame radiating inside. On the accompanying sides of the fireplace hung Christmas cards they had received from family and friends, and above it all a beautiful wreath.

A couple minor decorations were placed out by the two of them, set on top of some free spaces. A winter-looking snow globe with a snowmammal in it was placed idly on a nearby coffee table, where a cup of tea and a cup of hot cocoa complete with marshmallows stood. Nick placed his muzzle near his mug and took a quick drink, the warmth and soothingness of the hot chocolate refreshing him as he swallowed.

On the other side of the room, the rabbit was busy putting some of the finishing touches on one of the main decorating staples of the holiday season: The tree.

A gorgeous white tree sparkled luminously against the walls. Tinsel had already been wrapped around it, and Judy was applying some of the last few bulb ornaments on the available branches. It was almost complete, except for one important detail that needed to be placed on top.

The gentle sounded of small padded paws came trailing from the other room, the figure the sound belonged to showing itself. Nick and Judy both turned around to see their kit, who ran into the living room happily giggling. As the child looked at the decked-out space with an awestruck look across his muzzle, Judy got the star ready to be placed on top of the tree. Nick picked his kit up to the tippy-top and let him have the honors of putting on the star, completing the scenery. 

Nick and Judy applauded the little one once the decorations were declared complete, making him feel giddy on the inside. Once everything was over and done, they took their loads off on the couch. Underneath the thick and cozy blankets, the three of them sat together bundled up with warmth. The merry spirit of the holidays now surrounding them on all sides as they settled down for the evening.


	12. Caroling

Once again, the fox found himself hustled somehow. It was all thanks to a certain sly bunny and her ways of tricking him. 

As Judy knocked against the red door in front of them and backed up, Nick started to reminisce about how he managed to get stuck into the place that he found himself in now…

 

* * *

 

It all started on what would’ve been just a typical evening. Judy went over to Nick’s apartment after everything the had in store for them was complete, and as they were in relaxation it felt like the proper time to address her fox with what she felt like participating in. The doe always had a considerably stupendous sense of joy that rushed over her during the holidays, but what she was contemplating on doing was out of the question for her fox companion.

“I’m sorry, Fluff,” Nick said, “but you’re just gonna have to count me out on that.”

It was an unadulterated “no” from the fox, but Judy was not going to take it as an answer. She knew on the inside that Nick would actually enjoy himself if she took him with her. “Come on, Nick, it’ll be fun,” she persuaded.

“You and I both know my voice is far from the singing type,” Nick replied informatively. “You’ve heard it firsthand, and I’m pretty sure if I sung loud enough I’d end up hurting somebody’s ears.”

“You’re bein’ too hard on yourself,” the doe replied. “But if you don’t wanna go, I completely understand.”

The vulpine looked her with a little bit of confusion, unsure of how she went from being completely adamant on his participation to understanding of why he didn’t wish to go. Regardless, however, he felt a little bad for rejecting his bunny’s offer. “Sorry, Carrots. I’m promising you that I’m gonna make it up to you somehow.”

“Whatever you say, Scrooge,” Judy remarked, getting a chuckle out of Nick.

With that, the doe got up from her seat with a wide and conniving grin conjuring across her face. She knew what she would do next. If Nick wouldn’t join the caroling excursion, then she knew that she had to hustle him into it.

Some time later, Judy proposed a bet between to the two of them before the day started at the ZPD. Knowing both Nick and her competitive attitudes all too well, the bunny was certain that the fox would immediately take the wager she had proposed. However, as if with all of her other bets that she had made with him in the past, there was a catch that he would realize at a later point in time.

“Alright, it’s settled,” Judy remarked, shaking paws with Nick. 

The fox grinned, feeling in his head that he was about to win the bet that had already been proposed. Bogo’s booming voice called all of the officers back to the bullpen, and Nick followed Judy inside as he pushed the wager into the back of his head for a later time.

Little did Nick know, however, that Judy intentionally designed the little proposal out perfectly to work in her favor.

Sooner than later, the fox had lost the bet and needed to pay the price for it: He had to go caroling with Judy and some of the ZPD officers.

Once again, the fox had unsurprisingly been hustled. Not until the moment in which Judy and the other officers started to congregate did the fox acknowledge there was something else he had to do alongside caroling...

 

* * *

 

Nick's mind came back to the current moment as he prepared himself once again.

****Responding to the unexpected knocking that had been placed upon his door, the elephant who occupied the house looked humbly at who awaited him at his front porch. His wife and daughter came to the door soon after, smiles abundant to the familiar yet warming sounds of the Christmas carols.

Outside stood the familiar faces that made up the ZPD, Judy within the middle of the group like a leader.

Although some of the caroler’s voices weren’t exactly on key, the sounds they produced were enough to bring joy to the citizens across Zootopia. The elephant family stood close together, the little child in the bunch pointing at something that was in her interest as she innocently laughed.

What the child was pointing at was none other than Nick, who was cloaked in the outfit that was wearing as part of him losing the bet. While the carolers were all in close-to-matching festive clothing, the fox was in an elf outfit complete with bells that jingled on his sleeves. Nick, however, wasn’t uncomfortable with the getup he had been hustled into wearing by Judy.

Although he wasn’t too happy about it in the beginning (his face originally giving off a not-so-joyous look alongside the other smiling carolers), seeing the pleasant reactions from the mammals they were singing to made him good inside.

As the carol they were singing came to a close, the voices held their note. Nick exuberantly waved his paws to get the bells to jingle on his outfit, a jovial expression spreading across his muzzle. The young elephant started to clap, the child’s parents joining in a round of applause a few seconds later.

The assembly of carolers walked off, heading down the street to go to the next available house. As they came closer to a house covered top to bottom in multi-colored lights, Judy cocked her head and saw the jocund smirk radiating on Nick’s muzzle. The doe tapped at Nick’s shoulder, feeling that she was right about him once again.

“So,” she remarked, “did this fox’s heart grow three sizes today?”

“Har har,” Nick breathed, trying his darnedest to cover up the fact that he was truly enjoying himself.

The doe shook her head. “You can’t fool me, I can see it in your face.”

Looking back at the house they had just, they caught sight of the family they had just visited. Nick could see the kid to the two elephants waving cheerfully back at them, faintly hearing the little one say goodbye to them. Judy saw the smile that Nick failed miserably to contain. 

The fox sighed. “Alright, Carrots, I admit it. This caroling thing is actually a lot better than I expected. The whole elf outfit thing you got me with ain’t that bad, either.”

“Told you, Slick.”

Nick and Judy continued to walk forward to the next house, their figures glowing underneath all of the dazzling lights. For once in his life, the fox was actually quite happy to lose one of his companion's bets.

 


	13. Baking

Standing inside of the kitchen with determination, Nick confidently got to work on his surprise plan for when Judy came by. And that plan, interestingly enough, was freshly baked cookies.

The fox, as Judy had witnessed on several misfortunate occasions, was not exactly the best when it came to working around in the kitchen. But Nick had a plan to surprise his rabbit with some sweet treats to get them both in the mood. He had found a potentially easy recipe online while searching around for holiday dishes, and he was content to try it out based on how others on there (who specifically stated how they were novices when it came to cooking) said how simplistic it was. _If they can do it, I can do it_ , Nick persuaded to himself.

Tying an apron around him with the corny phrase “Kiss The Cook” written on it, the vulpine grabbed a bowl and got to work with his ingredients. Some measuring and mixing later, Nick got to the work that ended up being the considerably challenging part of the culinary operation: Creating the shapes.

He grabbed a cookie cutter (the appliance was something he had previously received as a gift), getting to work on creating some of the designs. Some ended up perfectly while others ended up barely looking like the image they were to depict.

A beep came from the oven behind him, the process of it pre-heating finished just in time for the sweet treats to start baking. Looking at the “masterpiece” that he had whipped up, Nick grabbed his oven lit and placed the two baking trays straight into the oven.

The kitchen had been flipped into something that was quite the opposite of its typical cleanliness. Spilled flour dusted abroad the workspace, some of the batter that accidentally came out of its mixing bowl laid on the counters as well.

Nick wiped his brow and clapped his paws together, breathing out a sigh of relief. _And now all we gotta do is wait for these bad boys to get done baking!_

The fox plopped down on a nearby couch, the apron still resting over his torso. He relaxed his body as he waited for Judy to arrive, the stove and the kitchen left completely unattended. About ten minutes later, a sudden knock sounded upon Nick’s door. Picking himself off of the couch, the fox answered the door and Judy stepped inside. The scent of something delicious came from the nearby kitchen, but the doe couldn’t put her paw on what it was.

For a few short seconds, the doe didn’t even acknowledge that her fox was cloaked on the apron. But when she did, however, she ended up uncontrollably snickering at the sight of it.

The fox turned around, looking at her quizzically. “What’s so funny, Carrots?” he inquired. “Never seen me in an apron before?”

“I have,” she said. “But normally whenever you wear an apron like that, it normally spells out grave danger.”

“I acknowledge that I've made some messes in the kitchen,” the fox replied. “But hopefully what I’m makin’ right now ends up being something that’s not a disaster.”

The doe’s curiosity was piqued as she followed Nick. “And what would that be?”

“It was gonna be a surprise, but I’ll let ya in on it. I’m whipping us up some Christmas cookies. You came over right at a good time, too. Should probably be all done in a little bit.”

“I thought I smelled something sweet when I walked in here,” Judy remarked. “Sounds wonderful.” She paused a short moment. “That is, if the recipe works out like it should.”

“I did all the right steps, Fluff. I know you’ve seen my other cooking mishaps, but I’m quite certain that this’ll surprise you.”

“All the measurements are correct this time?”

“Yes, I’m pretty sure of that.”

“Okay, ‘cause you do remember the time we you tried making that one recipe not too long ago. You misread the teaspoon for the tablespoon and screwed up the-“

The fox huffed, interrupting Judy. “Yes, I remember that, Carrots. Can’t live down a little slip-up, can I?”

“Nope.”

“Anyway, I better change the subject. There was something I was lookin’ for before you showed up, if I could only remember where I put it.”

The doe knew all too well what he was doing, simply putting on another show of his. Nick walked over to a corner and pretended like he was looking around for something he had misplaced. Turning around with a frolicsome expression on his muzzle, the fox gestured for Judy to follow him to another corner.

“Hey, Carrots?” the fox said exuberantly.

“Yeah, Ni-“

Judy paused when she caught a good glimpse of what Nick was now looking up at. Above the two of them was a strand of mistletoe with a red bow above it, hung conveniently where they both stood. Nick waited excitedly yet patiently for Judy to perhaps give him the kiss that the symbolic mistletoe commonly promised.

“I sense that you set that up on purpose,” Judy remarked.

“And you’re not wrong,” Nick replied slyly.

Judy simply laughed. Once she gave Nick the soft kiss he was asking for, the two carried on with their conversation.

A few moments had passed when a sudden shift in events occurred, bringing Nick back to his senses. An unpleasant smell arose from the kitchen, hitting Judy like a load of bricks.

“Uh, Nick?” the doe questioned. “Is something burning?”

Nick looked at her confused. “What do you mean bur-“

The fox’s eyes widened with shock as the realization hit him. He had been so distracted that he had completely forgotten about the cookies he had been baking.


	14. Angel

The word “angel,” by its common definition, was a being that was believed to act as an attendant or giver of aid towards others. A being whose conduct was exemplary and whose virtues were practically irreproachable. 

To most, an angel was customarily depicted as a figure robed in spotless white, more than likely having wings as well. But to a certain fox, his angel came to him in the form of a certain rabbit. 

* * *

 

As quick as her paws could physically carry her, Judy rushed over to Nick’s aid. She was no medical expert, but she knew that her companion was under the weather the moment she had received a call from him and heard the hoarseness in his voice. She knew quite well that she needed to come to his aid as quick as she possibly could for two reasons: The first being how sensitive a fox’s immune system could behave if not administered with the proper treatments, and the second simply being that Nick more than often tended to overdramatize something.

“I’m here, Nick,” she greeted as she stepped inside.

Nick hadn’t even been under the weather that long and his living space had already looked like a tornado swept through it. Trying not to step on the sporadically scattered debris that the fox had carelessly laying across the usually well-kept floors, Judy came over to his bedroom. 

“Achoo!”

The abrupt sneeze was what greeted the rabbit as she came over to Nick’s bedside, ready to help him with whatever he needed at the moment. Bundled up under the thick blankets with a less-than-cheerful expression written across his muzzle, the fox exhaled deeply. Dotting his eyes, he glanced over at Judy. He had been feeling quite upset that he somehow managed to unexpectedly come down with something, especially when he had made some very great plans on what he and his bunny could do together.

A spree of raspy coughing came from the poor fox. Judy didn’t seemed to be bothered by any of the potential germs that were now circulating around the room, simply putting the worries of such things away. Regardless of whatever Nick had, she was going to make sure that she provided the aid that he needed in whatever way possible.

"Made you something that I thought would help ya feel better," the rabbit said, reaching into her bag to retrieve something she had brought with her. Fumbling under some of the various pieces of medical supplies she had on hand, she grabbed a large glass dish that contained some liquid. "Give me one minute and I'll heat you up some soup. It's a family recipe, so I know you'll enjoy it."

"Th-thanks Carrots," was all Nick could get out before he ended up coughing heavily again.

Grabbing a bowl in the kitchen, Judy got to work and started reheating the soup until it was just the right temperature. Once it was all ready to be eaten, the doe helped Nick get propped up to enjoy the dish. The broth steamed to the fox's nostrils, a pleasant aroma of herbs hitting him.

As Nick helped himself to some spoonfuls of soup with a grin of satisfaction, Judy looked around the bedroom. The place was just too dark and she needed to brighten the space with some positivity.

“What we need in _here_ is some sunlight,” Judy remarked. “Can’t get ya feeling better if you’re sittin’ all alone in the dark.”

The rabbit made her way over to the bedroom window, the room felt depressive with the closed blinds in her mind. Quickly pulling the blinds up, the overpowering rays of the scintillating sunshine filled the room. Nick moaned and abruptly shielded a paw over his eyes, trying to acclimate to the now slightly overpowering brightness that his companion just let in the room. The fox was reacting like a vampire that had been exposed to the sun.

“Now isn’t that better?” Judy inquired.

Nick nodded, his eyes still trying to get readjusted to the light that now illuminated the once dim and gloomy space. From where the fox was laying down, only his rabbit’s silhouette could be seen through all the powerful light. It almost looked like the scenes that Nick found in certain movies, in which a spiritual guide of some sort came to a mammal with a luminous glow of light behind them.

“An angel,” the fox wheezed, jokingly pertaining to the way Judy’s figure looked when surrounded all of the light.  _And all that’s missing is her wings,_ he added in his head.

Sure, angels would forever be described as extraordinary and omnipotent beings. Figures of much radiance and deliverers of good news and healing. But to some, their guardian angels could occasionally come to their aid in the form of any ordinary mammal. Being there with them every step of the way, delivering help whether the situation was very large or very small.

And for Nick, the angel that came to him was a rabbit named Judy Hopps.


	15. Celebration

The celebration pressed onward, as if everyone who was participating had somehow forgotten how to stand still. A variety of flashing colors sparkled dazzlingly from the crowded city streets of Savannah Central. About twenty minutes earlier, music from some of the live performances resonated powerfully. The cheering and commotion from excited mammals could be heard, unequally blending with the tunes being played.

It was the time to celebrate the arrival of what was going to be an exciting new year once again, and the streets were completely transformed into one humongous celebration. The crowds stood packed together in the night. Some mammals holding up some large fluorescent paper signs, reading out with messages that delivered greetings to family or friends that might have been watching the event being broadcasted.

Despite the fact that all of the fun festivities were taking place in the heart of the district, the celebration proved to be much more enjoyable from up above the streets.

Her head looking over the colorful cityscapes, Judy observed every viewable inch of the party continuing from down below. Courtesy of the much enjoyable balcony of the apartment, she and Nick were both grateful to get to witness the changing year from this kind of perspective. In contrast to standing crowded on a street corner, the doe could stand gently beside her companion and glimpse at everything.

A few brief moments of time had passed, and with that the final moment of the gigantic celebration was yet to come. In two minutes and counting, the ball would drop and the new year would officially commence.

Nick looked over to the right, catching a glimpse at the countdown clock that slowly ticked forward on a visible billboard by a close skyscraper. The proverbial lightbulb glowed above his head, and an idea started to quickly form within his brain. The vulpine stretched his back, tapped his claws upon the railing of the balcony, and looked over at the bunny beside him.

“So,” the fox said, casually putting a paw on Judy’s arm. “Looks like the final countdown’s starting.”

Judy cocked her head up from where she was looking down at. The doe could immediately sense that he was being sly, the words that slipped out of his mouth having that sound that she knew almost too well. “Yeah,” she breathed. “And?”

“Well…” the sly vulpine hesitated. “If you’re asking _me,_ it’s only logical to kick things off with a new year’s kiss.”

Judy tried hard to hide a grin that was forming on her muzzle. _Should have known something like this was coming,_ she thought.

“Really?” she inquired in reply.

The fox grinned, his eyes meeting his companion’s familiar amethyst ones. “It’s simple New Year’s Eve physics, Fluff. You seriously didn’t know about any of this?”

“Nope, I’ll admit I haven’t." 

Nick breathed to respond, but paused before saying anything. He was interrupted upon seeing that it was almost time for the new year to finally arrive.

The countdown now read that there was only fifty seconds left. He still had a few things left to say to his bunny and such a short amount of time to say them.

The vulpine exhaled, his breath becoming a visible cloud that cut into the crisp and cool air. As Judy turned around to face her fox, she took both of her paws and placed them within her companion’s. Sweet smiles broke out on both of their muzzles, their joyous enthusiasm becoming contagious to the two of them.

“Judy,” Nick said, hesitating slightly. The ears of the bunny in front of him perked up, intrigued by what was about to come out of his mouth. If there was one she knew, it was that he always said something meaningful whenever he referred to her by her literal name, and not by “Carrots” or “Fluff.”

“Yeah?” the doe breathed out, waiting for Nick to finish what he was starting to say.

“This year has been amazing, so many memories made. And I’m certain that many more good times await me, as long as you’re by my side.”

“I don’t care how sappy it sounds, but I feel the same way.”

The fox looked down at his companion, then back at the clock neared its final portions of the countdown.

Four… 

Three… 

Two…

Acting two seconds before the stroke of midnight, Judy stood on tippy-toes, wrapped his arms around Nick and delivered a delicate and heartfelt kiss. Although not exactly prepared for it to occur a few seconds before expected, Nick closed his eyes and savored the moment between him and his bunny.

The enthusiastic shouts of the mammals from down below rung out across the city, and the illuminated signs brightly glowed the phrase “Happy New Year!”

Streams of confetti rained down onto the closed-off portions of the streets. Fireworks crackled and popped in the sky, scintillating in the blackened sky with an array of pretty, eye-popping colors.

“Now I can say I kissed on both New Year’s Eve _and_ New Year’s Day at the same time,” Judy remarked.

“Sly bunny,” he murmured in reply.

A short pause came between the two of them, and Judy wished Nick the obvious. “Happy New Year, Nick.”

“Happy New Year, Carrots.”

 

 


End file.
